The Indians will be estranged in their affection and withdraw to other distant posts where brandy is already too much of an attraction for them. Lastly, the trades of Tadoussac, once so famous, would be reduced to nothing, and these countries, formerly so densely settled, shall become deserted. In fact, it must be pointed out that for several years the number of inland Indians has decreased both as a result of deaths and through a great many of them having withdrawn to Hudson bay on account of the high price of goods.

Moreover, the wild animals are almost entirely destroyed and, in consequence, these same Indians experience great difficulty in finding their maintenance in the forests; every year, some of them die of starvation, especially during last winter which was a very severe one and when several families perished ; as to those of the sea-shore they were supplied with food by the lessee.

The disadvantages likely to arise from all this would be : No Indians, no hunting, no debts paid and, in consequence, no trade to be expected.

Another point which Monseigneur the Entendant is requested to note, is that under the circumstances alluded to, should the lease no longer subsist, everything is held in suspense ; what a disturbance would not this cause in the accounts. In the month of June last and after the inventories have been made, it happens that the goods, utensils, provisions, &c., belong to the Sieur Cugnet, former lessee, as well as to the new one ; in the event of there being a new lessee next year, all the effects would belong to three different lessees. What a mess and what a confusion would this not give rise to and when could one expect to see the end of it all.

Every one of the foregoing facts as alleged by Veuve Fornel and Company are only recited

in order to point out the harm which all such sudden changes are likely to cause to their interests and to those of the King, as, instead of improving the leasehold it could only tend to impair it. Therefore Veuve Fornel and Company respectfully submit that they uphold the validity of the lease which was granted to them by the said Monseigneur the Intendant and executed by the notaries Lanouillet and Kauguinet in the presence of the Comptroller of the Marine on the ninth of September, one thousand seven hundred and forty-nine, and pray that the enjoyment thereof be continued to them until the expiration of the six years, in default of which they persist in their request for the reimbursement and payment to them, next year 1751, of the sum of 75,337 livres 17s. in consideration of the expenditure and Losses incurred by them during the year's enjoyment of the lease, and further of the sum of fourteen thousand livres for the non-enjoyment of the remaining five years to run of the said lease. The above being what Veuve Fornel and Company expect from Monseigneur the Intendant's sense of justice and fairness.